


First Night

by SonicCeleste



Series: Crystals and Rolanberries [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Minor G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light, Wow look a fic where No’a’s not flirting, but it’s like teeny tiny and could be read platonically too, what a rarity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicCeleste/pseuds/SonicCeleste
Summary: The Exarch goes to see a friend. No’a gets a visit from a stranger.
Series: Crystals and Rolanberries [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841296
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	First Night

**Author's Note:**

> I FINISHED A THING
> 
> I have more things planned, I just... need to finish them... ^^;;

In all 20-something years of his life, No’a had never found himself pacing.

But, then again, the last few moons hadn’t exactly been the usual, either.

He knew he would’ve been thrust back into another battle soon enough - he _knew_ there would be another war, as there inevitably always was, and yet… he wasn’t there, as he should be. Instead, he’d been subject to numerous painful experiences by one _annoying_ Crystal Exarch, witnessed his friends’ very souls being taken from their bodies, then was whisked off to an _entirely new star_ and to a city built around the Crystal Tower because _that_ was apparently a thing that was just there, told he was summoned to save not just one, but _two_ worlds because _otherwise_ _he and Eorzea would actually die_ , _after which_ he saw the spirit of a long-forgotten warrior he once saw as a foe materialise in his new room only to spout some hopeless nonsense before swanning off.

Suffice it to say, No’a was  _ not _ in the best of mindsets to rest as the Exarch suggested, choosing instead to walk from door to window of his new room in an effort to expend his anxious energy. If he were back on the Source he would’ve gone out hunting to relax, like he’d done since he was a child - a couple years younger with less experience of drugged drinks and he would’ve flirted his way to copious amounts of free mead to take the edge off. He couldn’t really do either of those now, though, both as a newcomer to this world and as someone with the new reputation of “one of the Exarch’s friends”, so here he was, pacing about like an expectant father.

He shivered and made an involuntary noise of disgust. That was a horrible simile.

The  _ click-click _ of his heels against the tiled floor eventually slowed and stopped as No’a groaned and flopped onto the sofa by the door, burying his face in his hands. The whole situation wasn’t ideal, to put it  _ very _ mildly, but what was bugging him the most for whatever reason was this Exarch’s… friendliness. Since the very start of this dilemma, when the Exarch was simply “The Voice” in the Scions’ heads that coincided with the mysterious ailment befalling them, No’a  _ despised  _ him. In the midst of a turning point for Eorzea, at the time where finally _ , finally, _ the Garleans might actually lose their footing in the continent, here was this  _ annoying, cryptic asshole _ who always seemed to have the  _ worst  _ timing and was taking some of his closest friends for reasons unknown. No’a thought it was only natural to dislike him, and he’d made that dislike perfectly known when they first “met” in that weird dream.

Once he’d actually arrived at the First, however, and finally came face-to-face with this mysterious half-crystal individual… The Exarch had treated the bard with such respect, courtesy and generosity that it was actually a little suspicious. Almost immediately he’d apologised for any and all inconveniences he caused, promised to right his wrongs, gave No’a a personal tour of the city as well as access to his things back home, made sure he was given a suite all to himself to rest in… It was a nigh unheard of level of kindness, and that fact was both depressing and conflicting for No’a. Was it wrong of him to be so critical of this Exarch? It wasn’t as if he was without reason…

A knock against the large wooden doors made No’a nearly jump out of his skin. Wasn’t it late? He looked out of the window to check the time - then remembered there was no way to check the sky with the eternal light and frowned. That was going to take getting used to. He stood up and walked to the doors, opening one cautiously.

“Ah! Good evening, No’a,” the Exarch greeted with a polite smile. The rest of his face was still impossible to see under his hood - there had to be a glamour on that thing to cast  _ that _ dark a shadow all the time. “I apologise for intruding on your personal time after asking so much from you already today, but I simply wished to see how you were settling in.”

Settling in? He’d barely had enough time to process his situation, much less  _ settle _ into this alien world. Besides that… No’a narrowed his eyes at the man. “You asked me to rest, though. Even wished me ‘peaceful dreams’? Wouldn’t you think I’d be asleep by now?”

The Exarch paused, raising a hand to his chin in thought. “Well, yes, but in hindsight I realise that may have been an… ambitious request, considering. It’s rather difficult to sleep in a new world filled with endless light, I imagine.”

No’a’s ear flicked at the last part of the sentence, but dismissed the suspicious instinct. The Exarch was clearly the type stubbornly determined to keep things hidden, so it wasn’t worth probing him. “You can say that again.” He leaned against the door and shrugged, putting on a practiced, polite smile. “Well, I appreciate the checking in, anyroad - you didn’t have to go to the trouble, being a busy leader and all.”

The Exarch smiled again, a tad… smug? Proud? Gods, it was difficult to tell. “Not as busy as you’d think, actually. The city is intentionally designed to function without much input from myself, so I’m often left to my own devices in the Tower or wandering the Crystarium. I suppose it’s all the better so I can see firsthand how the citizens fare - as well as you, my friend.”

_ Friend… _ At the last word No’a looked away sharply - something the Exarch caught instantly. “Is… something the matter, No’a?” He asked.

“... It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” No’a regretted those words as soon as they came out of his mouth. They were always guaranteed to just cause  _ more _ worry… Did saying that ever actually work?

“No’a.” The Exarch’s voice suddenly fell lower, and he took a step forward. “May I come in for a moment?”

The bard hesitated, but reluctantly opened the door further to let the man in, shutting it behind him. The Exarch stood in the middle of the room for a moment, contemplating, before turning back around to No’a.

“You take issue with my hospitality.”

_ Shit. _ No’a winced - the blunt words seemed to cut through his lie so easily. Thankfully, the Exarch seemed to notice this and quickly continued speaking.

“Be at ease, No’a - I’m not offended or anything of the sort. I think I may have overstepped a boundary by calling you ‘friend’, and for that I apologise. It’s only natural to be wary of someone who, by all accounts, has done more harm than good thus far.” He paused and frowned, as if trying to gather his thoughts. No’a tilted his head to one side and furrowed his brow - it was a little irritating not being able to pick up on most of his subtle facial cues like everyone else.

“... Earlier, you said I’ve earnt your trust ‘for the moment’, correct?” The Exarch asked. No’a nodded. “I… imagine that for someone who’s gone through what you have, that trust is hard-earned.”

Images of Nanamo and the banquet and  _ the red _ flashed through No’a’s mind. Memories of scornful words and hateful actions against him in Ishgard made his hand shake for just a second. He took a deep breath and nodded again, more solemnly.

“To be given your trust even for the moment is… something I scarcely believe I deserve, given the circumstances,” The Exarch admitted, “but rest assured I will do my best to make sure that trust is not misplaced. I won’t fault you for being wary, but pray believe me when I say that the only thing I want right now is for you to feel comfortable and at ease, No’a. The Crystarium is a safe place for all, and I have no desire to make your time here any more stressful than it needs to be.”

That… was thoughtful. Very thoughtful. Now that he thought about it, those words reminded No’a of the Scions’ efforts to help him with his mental burdens after his meltdown at Rhalgr’s Reach… The same Scions who were now working to find a way to avert another calamity with the Exarch, not just for Eorzea, but for  _ him _ . If  _ they _ could work with the Exarch… No’a’s ears fell and he scratched idly at his chest scar, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt for doubting this man who’d been nothing but kind and apologetic ever since he arrived.

“I, uh… I appreciate the thought, Exarch,” he said quietly. “I’m still not convinced you’re being entirely truthful… but I don’t think you mean any harm by it.” He paused for a second before something came to mind and he started grinning. “At least, I doubt any conniving villain would go out of his way to get their victim a cushy room and pixie pact.”

The subtle slump of the Exarch’s shoulders told of his relief, and No’a heard a gentle laugh that made him smile and start to relax - the old man had a cute laugh, all things considered. “That would be rather odd, wouldn’t it? But I’m glad to hear that. And speaking of your room, is everything to your liking? It’s one of the more luxurious suites, but if there’s something not quite right…”

“Oh, no, it’s spectacular!” No’a smiled, taking a quick glance around - oh, he hadn’t noticed the small orange plants before now. He wondered if they were edible or merely decoration… something to try later. “I don’t think even my room at House Fortemps was quite like this. Your buildings feel remarkably… hm… cosy? Yeah, cosy. I like it.”

“Yes, the architecture is quite marvellous, isn’t it? The crafters all work incredibly hard, and it’s evident in their results.” The Exarch idly wandered over to the window, gazing outside. “You’ve likely already figured this out, but I should warn you that it’ll take some time getting used to the endless light of the First - the Scions all took some adjustment, and with you being a Keeper of the Moon, doubly so…”

No’a’s ear flicked and his eyes narrowed. “How did you know I’m a Keeper? I thought you didn’t have that kind of thing here.”

“Alphinaud informed me, oddly enough.” His lips curled into a smile as he turned back to face the bard. “He said Keepers were more suited to the darkness, and he was concerned for you regarding… sneezing fits?”

“Oh… Gods, he’s never going to let me live that down, the cheeky sod…” No’a shook his head and sighed. “Yeah, I guess I should explain. I used to wear wide-brimmed hats for years to get the sun out of my eyes because I grew up nocturnal - it’s only recently that I stopped. Ishgard’s quite dull and dreary so I got used to not wearing one when we were staying there, but then we went to Camp Cloudtop which is nothing but bright blue skies and, well… Alphie couldn’t stop laughing at me, comparing me to the gaelikittens when they got too close to the… uh… cloud mallows…”

No’a suddenly stopped himself, realising he was suddenly talking to the Exarch as if he was an old friend. He wasn’t… usually this open to strangers. Weird. Normally he’d be the one listening to tales from other people - but then again, Mr Mysterious Hooded Bloke didn’t seem the type to spin yarns about his life. He was probably just unconsciously trying to fill the gap in the conversation.

Thankfully the Exarch didn’t seem to notice his inner confusion, instead nodding along to his story with a carefully maintained smile. No’a didn’t have to see the rest of his face to know he was trying not to laugh. “I see… Well, if you need anything to help you refrain from a similar situation, the market should have everything you're looking for. Is there anything else?”

“Well…” Something came to No’a’s mind and he hesitated. He  _ did _ say anything… and if he  _ was _ to be trusting this Exarch...

“... You got any mead around here?” He asked somewhat sheepishly. The Exarch chuckled and nodded, already walking towards the door. “Of course. Would you like me to fetch you some? We often get such requests from new arrivals to the Crystarium, so I assure you it’s no trouble.”

“You're a star, Exarch, thanks. I could really use a drink after all this.” The bard idly stretched, exhaustion finally starting to set in now that he wasn’t as anxious as before. “I figured I might as well ask - seeing as you’re their beloved leader and all, I can be pretty sure it’ll be clean if you get it.”

The Exarch paused with his hand on the doorknob, briefly turning back to No’a. “... Clean?”

“Yup,” No’a replied simply, and for a brief second the Exarch saw something flicker across his expression, something dark and weary, before he grinned again. “I appreciate it, Exarch.”

“... Yes, of course. I’ll be but a moment, No’a.”

The Exarch stepped out and closed the door behind him before sighing deeply.

_ That was an eye-opening conversation, to say the least. _

When he checked on No’a earlier with his portal and witnessed him talking to himself before pacing his room, he thought simply visiting and asking how he was was the best option… but now he wasn’t so sure. The Exarch had expected No’a to change somewhat since they’d last met - he had only been at the start of his heroic career when they’d ventured together, and he had no doubt that the years following would have made him wiser, perhaps more humble (though truth be told he wasn’t entirely convinced on the latter, knowing the bard). But this… this was far from the No’a Katri he once knew. The sterner way he held himself, the sliver of a deep chest scar that he’d never seen or read about before… and those eyes. His amber eyes were still bright with hope and strength, much to his relief, but no amount of rolanberry makeup could hide the fact from the Exarch that he was incredibly tired; No’a had undoubtedly seen more than any one man was meant to see, and it was clear he had been through a number of tragedies beyond what the Exarch had managed to learn.

A part of the Exarch was shaken, seeing what the mantle of Warrior of Light had done to his friend since he’d been away. Another part of him, buried deep down for so long, rose up and claimed that he saw a spark of the old, younger No’a in his grin, and wanted to do all he could to turn him back to how he was before. But that was nigh unthinkable. Beyond the actual impossibility, this change actually benefited his plan…

_ “Did you… happen to find someone in the Tower, when it came here? Red hair and glowing eyes, ears and tail like mine?” _

_ “A red-haired Mystel… No, I’m afraid there was no such individual when it passed into my care. Is there something I should know?” _

_ “Of course… It’s nothing to concern yourself with. It’s a long story, but at the end of it all a friend of mine locked himself in the Tower, to safeguard its secrets. I guess I was just hoping to see him again.” _

_ “... I see. I’m sorry to disappoint you.” _

_ “No worries, I’m used to it. Anyroad, I interrupted you…” _

No, things couldn’t change. Instead…

_ … I suppose we’ll have to start completely from scratch _ , the Exarch decided as he walked out of the Pendants’ corridors and through the foyer.  _ I am but a stranger to him, after all… and with all his changes, he may as well be a stranger to me too. _

“Exarch! Don’t tell me  _ you _ fancy a drink?”

“I’m afraid not, Glynard. Rather, it’s my… acquaintance who I’m here on behalf of.”

Saying those words shouldn’t have made his chest ache so strongly. Hopefully, if he could prove his worthiness to No’a…

“Do you happen to have any cinnamon-infused mead, Glynard?”

“Ah, that’s a rare order! Good taste, though, and good thing I got some in last week. This acquaintance of yours ask for that specifically?”

“Not exactly, no… but I know he’ll enjoy that one the best.”

… and maybe with a few sly tricks up his sleeve to curry his favour, hopefully he wouldn’t have to say those words for long.


End file.
